footnote124
HomVEE-calculated p-value is greater than 0.05, indicating that this result is not significant.
Model effectiveness research report last updated: 2011
Child First intervenes with vulnerable young children and families at the earliest possible time to prevent and heal the effects of trauma and adversity. The goal is to decrease the incidence of emotional and behavioral disturbance, developmental and learning problems, and abuse and neglect among high-risk young children and their families. The Child First model is based on brain development research, which shows that extremely high-stress environments (including poverty, maternal depression, domestic violence, abuse and neglect, substance abuse, and homelessness) are toxic to the developing brain of the young child. Child First aims to build a nurturing, consistent, and responsive parent-child relationship, which buffers and protects the child’s brain from these stressors. In addition, the model is designed to stabilize and decrease the multiple concrete challenges in the family’s life.
Model services
Child First affiliate sites assign each family a team consisting of a licensed master’s-level mental health/developmental clinician responsible for assessment and therapeutic intervention and a care coordinator responsible for connecting families to community services and supports. The Child First model involves the following:
The Child First curriculum includes topics, concepts, and implementation methods delivered based on the unique needs of the child and family. Child First is a flexible, relationship-based, psychotherapeutic intervention. The curriculum does not designate what content should be covered for specified visits. However, it does specify what constitutes fidelity to the Child First model.
Child First serves pregnant women and families with children from birth through age 5 years in which (1) children have emotional, behavioral, or developmental difficulties; or (2) the family faces multiple environmental and psychosocial challenges (which Child First views as social determinants of health) that may lead to negative parent and child outcomes, such as maternal depression, domestic violence, substance abuse, homelessness, or abuse and neglect. Families are served without regard for their legal status or the number of children in the family.
Child First, Inc.
35 Nutmeg Drive, Suite 385
Trumbull, CT 06611
Website: www.childfirst.org/
Darcy Lowell, M.D., CEO and Founder
Phone: (203) 538-5225
Email: dlowell@childfirst.org
Mary Peniston, Chief Program Officer
Phone: (203) 538-5224
Email: mpeniston@childfirst.org
Outcome measure | Effect | Follow-up timing | Sample | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSI | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 21.00 | Mean = 35.10 | Mean difference = -14.10 | HomVEE calculated = 0.56 | p < 0.01 | |
BSI | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 32.70 | Mean = 33.00 | Mean difference = -0.30 | HomVEE calculated = 0.00 | p > 0.05 | |
BSI (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 14.00 | Adjusted mean % = 39.00 | Difference = -25.00 | HomVEE calculated = -0.83 | p < 0.05 | |
BSI (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 25.80 | Adjusted mean % = 31.80 | Difference = -6.00 | HomVEE calculated = -0.18 | p > 0.05 | |
CES-D | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 13.50 | Mean = 17.40 | Mean difference = -3.90 | HomVEE calculated = 0.45 | p < 0.05 | |
CES-D | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 16.90 | Mean = 18.50 | Mean difference = -1.60 | HomVEE calculated = 0.20 | p > 0.05 | |
CES-D (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 33.30 | Adjusted mean % = 37.90 | Difference = -4.60 | HomVEE calculated = -0.12 | p > 0.05 | |
CES-D (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 46.00 | Adjusted mean % = 40.80 | Difference = 5.20 | HomVEE calculated = 0.13 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI difficult child | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 24.90 | Mean = 25.90 | Mean difference = -1.00 | HomVEE calculated = 0.28 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI difficult child | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 23.50 | Mean = 26.50 | Mean difference = -3.00 | HomVEE calculated = 0.47 | p < 0.05 | |
PSI difficult child (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 7.10 | Adjusted mean % = 11.90 | Difference = -4.80 | HomVEE calculated = -0.35 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI difficult child (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 4.80 | Adjusted mean % = 19.70 | Difference = -14.90 | HomVEE calculated = -0.96 | p < 0.05 | |
PSI parent distress | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 29.70 | Mean = 30.40 | Mean difference = -0.70 | HomVEE calculated = 0.23 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI parent distress | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 30.30 | Mean = 33.60 | Mean difference = -3.30 | HomVEE calculated = 0.47 | p < 0.05 | |
PSI parent distress (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 21.40 | Adjusted mean % = 28.80 | Difference = -7.40 | HomVEE calculated = -0.24 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI parent distress (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 31.80 | Adjusted mean % = 45.50 | Difference = -13.70 | HomVEE calculated = -0.35 | p < 0.05 | footnote124HomVEE-calculated p-value is greater than 0.05, indicating that this result is not significant. |
PSI parent-child dysfunction | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 21.60 | Mean = 20.60 | Mean difference = 1.00 | HomVEE calculated = 0.00 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI parent-child dysfunction | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 20.40 | Mean = 21.90 | Mean difference = -1.50 | HomVEE calculated = 0.27 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI parent-child dysfunction (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 21.40 | Adjusted mean % = 17.40 | Difference = 4.40 | HomVEE calculated = 0.17 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI parent-child dysfunction (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 19.10 | Adjusted mean % = 22.70 | Difference = -3.60 | HomVEE calculated = -0.13 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI total score | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 76.30 | Mean = 76.90 | Mean difference = -0.60 | HomVEE calculated = 0.20 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI total score | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 74.20 | Mean = 81.90 | Mean difference = -7.70 | HomVEE calculated = 0.49 | p < 0.05 | |
PSI total score (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 19.60 | Adjusted mean % = 22.00 | Difference = -2.40 | HomVEE calculated = -0.09 | p > 0.05 | |
PSI total score (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 20.60 | Adjusted mean % = 34.90 | Difference = -14.30 | HomVEE calculated = -0.44 | p < 0.05 | |
Any PSI scale (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 32.70 | Adjusted mean % = 44.10 | Difference = -11.40 | HomVEE calculated = -0.29 | p < 0.05 | footnote124HomVEE-calculated p-value is greater than 0.05, indicating that this result is not significant. |
Any PSI scale (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 38.10 | Adjusted mean % = 57.60 | Difference = -19.50 | HomVEE calculated = -0.48 | p < 0.05 |
Outcome measure | Effect | Follow-up timing | Sample | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITSEA dysregulation | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 16.40 | Mean = 20.70 | Mean difference = -4.30 | HomVEE calculated = 0.36 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA dysregulation | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 18.40 | Mean = 21.40 | Mean difference = -3.00 | HomVEE calculated = 0.22 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA dysregulation (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 11.30 | Adjusted mean % = 12.70 | Difference = -1.40 | HomVEE calculated = -0.08 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA dysregulation (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 7.00 | Adjusted mean % = 15.90 | Difference = -8.90 | HomVEE calculated = -0.56 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA externalizing | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 13.80 | Mean = 18.40 | Mean difference = -4.60 | HomVEE calculated = 0.49 | p < 0.05 | |
ITSEA externalizing | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 15.40 | Mean = 18.40 | Mean difference = -3.00 | HomVEE calculated = 0.30 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA externalizing (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 17.00 | Adjusted mean % = 29.10 | Difference = 12.10 | HomVEE calculated = -0.42 | p < 0.05 | |
ITSEA externalizing (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 22.80 | Adjusted mean % = 36.50 | Difference = -13.70 | HomVEE calculated = -0.40 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA internalizing | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 13.10 | Mean = 14.60 | Mean difference = -1.50 | HomVEE calculated = 0.19 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA internalizing | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | Mean = 15.40 | Mean = 15.80 | Mean difference = -0.40 | HomVEE calculated = 0.13 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA internalizing (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 1.90 | Adjusted mean % = 1.80 | Difference = 0.10 | HomVEE calculated = 0.03 | p > 0.05 | |
ITSEA internalizing (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 3.50 | Adjusted mean % = 1.60 | Difference = 1.90 | HomVEE calculated = 0.49 | p > 0.05 | |
Any ITSEA domain (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 26.40 | Adjusted mean % = 36.40 | Difference = -10.00 | HomVEE calculated = -0.28 | p < 0.05 | footnote124HomVEE-calculated p-value is greater than 0.05, indicating that this result is not significant. |
Any ITSEA domain (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 26.30 | Adjusted mean % = 44.40 | Difference = -18.10 | HomVEE calculated = -0.49 | p > 0.05 | |
Child language (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 10.50 | Adjusted mean % = 33.30 | OR = 4.40 | HomVEE calculated = -0.88 | p < 0.05 | |
Child language (proportion with clinically concerning problems) | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % (adjusted) = 16.90 | Adjusted mean % = 30.30 | OR = 3.00 | HomVEE calculated = -0.46 | p < 0.05 |
Outcome measure | Effect | Follow-up timing | Sample | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percentage of desired services received that were received, child development | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 99.00 | % = 14.00 | Difference = 85.00 | HomVEE calculated = 3.89 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 91.20 | % = 33.20 | Difference = 58.00 | HomVEE calculated = 3.93 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
6 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 88.10 | % = 31.80 | Difference = 56.30 | HomVEE calculated = 3.79 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received—child mental health | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 93.00 | % = 2.00 | Difference = 91.00 | HomVEE calculated = 3.93 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received, early education | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 88.00 | % = 26.00 | Difference = 62.00 | HomVEE calculated = 1.84 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received, adult education | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 62.00 | % = 9.00 | Difference = 53.00 | HomVEE calculated = 1.70 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received, adult mental health | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 92.00 | % = 7.00 | Difference = 85.00 | HomVEE calculated = 3.05 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received, concrete needs | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 89.00 | % = 16.00 | Difference = 73.00 | HomVEE calculated = 2.27 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received, family support | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 83.00 | % = 9.00 | Difference = 74.00 | HomVEE calculated = 2.36 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received, medical services | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 98.00 | % = 78.00 | Difference = 20.00 | HomVEE calculated = 1.59 | p < 0.001 |
Percentage of desired services that were received, social services | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
12 months | Bridgeport, CT | 117 families | % = 93.00 | % = 56.00 | Difference = 37.00 | HomVEE calculated = 1.42 | p < 0.001 |
Title | General population | Tribal population | Domains with favorable effects |
---|---|---|---|
Child First | Meets HHS criteria | Does not meet HHS criteria for tribal population because the model has not been evaluated with a tribal population. |
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Child First works to decrease the incidence of emotional and behavioral disturbance, developmental and learning problems, and abuse and neglect among high-risk young children and families. Child First serves pregnant women and families with children from birth through age 5. A mental health/developmental clinician and care coordinator work as a team to provide services that include a comprehensive assessment of child and family needs, observation and consultation in early care and education settings, a family and child plan of care, a parent-child mental health intervention, and care coordination. The model typically lasts 6 to 12 months, depending on a family’s needs. During the first month, the clinician and care coordinator conduct joint home visits twice per week, and thereafter visits occur either separately or jointly and at least weekly.
For more information, see the research database. For more information on the criteria used to rate research, please see details of HomVEE’s methods and standards.